Just Sketchin' You Out
by Ameyoke
Summary: Sketchbook Full Colors. Earth and Sky. Daichi Negishi and Sora Kajiwara. Who would have ever thought that Negishi liked Sora? Sora accepts, not really liking anyone anyway. But when she actually is in love with him, she finds out she's no the only one...
1. Chapter 1

At graduation time, the leaves blew softly in the trees, as everyone cheered for completion, and cried for partings. In the hallway, Sora closed the door to the art club's room. She wanted to cry, but she couldn't. It's one of those things where you understand what's happening, but your heart can't grasp it. Suddenly, a boy walked over to her. It was Daichi Negishi.

"Negishi-kun…" she looked at him softly. His face went red as a red crayon. He bowed full-scale quickly.

"Please, Sora," he choked, "Will you please go out with me?"

"What…?!" Sora blushed. She had never… Realized that Negishi had these feelings for her.

"I really like you." He told her bravely, lifting his back up and looking the girl in the eye. She looked at him, her mind in a jumble. Negishi… Liked her…? Well, she wasn't afraid of him anymore, she liked talking to him, but… She still couldn't believe it. She put her eyes to her fumbling fingers.

"I-I…" she looked at him, still blushing like it was 150 degrees, "I'd like… To go out with you too."

"Seriously…?!" he smiled, "Thank you so much, Sora…!" he almost hugged her, but she flinched. He stopped himself, smiled and sighed, "You're so cute." He softly chuckled and patted her on the head. She blushed even more.

"Me?!" she thought to herself, "CUTE?!" This puzzled her, but it made her really happy.

"See you later, Sora!" Natsumi smiled and waved with Hazuki as Sora exited the gate.

"This is the last time I'll be here…" she thought to herself.

"Sora? Aren't you going home?" Negishi asked her, his bag over his shoulder.

"Yeah… Just looking at the school for a sec…" she laughed softly.

"Can I…" he blushed again, "Can I walk you home?" he asked. She hesitated, but then nodded.

"So…" Sora asked, "Where are you planning to go to college?"

"Dunno. Probably Takagawa Arts College. I really wanna become a mangaka." He smiled to himself, "What about you?"

"Same. Takagawa." She smiled sweetly at him.

"I guess we're stuck like glue, huh?"

"Y-Yeah…" she looked down to the ground, "Natsumi and Hazuki and everyone else are going other places. It's gonna be a little nerve-wrecking…"

"Sora…" he looked at her, and saw that tears were dripping from her beautiful brown eyes.

"H-Huh…? Why am I crying…? I thought I told myself not to cry…!" she tried to laugh.

"Sora, can I hug you…?" he asked softly, so gently, that it surprised her. Negishi was scary and loud sometimes… But really, he was very sweet. She nodded, and they both quickly embraced each other. Sora cried loudly, letting all of her tears go, and Negishi held his cheek to the top of her head, stroking her milky blue hair. Sora didn't know why, but… She felt very comfortable in his arms.

"Come on sis, wake up. Your boyfriend's here." Sora's little brother, Ao, shook his sleepy sibling. Sora thought for a second as she opened her eyes. Wait… They had parted at her house, and then they… Made a date for the next day!

"Oh no!!" she yelled for the first time in a long time, and Negishi felt his blood jolt within his body. He thought the coffee Sora's brother had served would EXPLODE. Sora quickly brushed her hair, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and put on the outfit she had coordinated the previous night. It was an aquamarine plaid skirt and a white sweater t-shirt, and to top it off, white Mary Jane shoes. She then took her hair and put it in a loose ponytail with a hair elastic, decorated with a plastic heart.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" she called as she ran down the stairs. Negishi looked up to see a beautiful girl in front of him.

"I-It's fine…" he blushed, "You… Look cute…"

"Thanks." She giggled.

"Yeah, yeah, can you guys get moving? I feel sick with all this love-love in the air." Her brother waved his hand.

"A-Ao!" Sora flustered.

"Let's go." Negishi said quickly and grabbed her hand. They kept walking in the cat-infested neighborhood, past the houses with wind chimes, and straight past the little Japanese cottage with the old woman sipping her tea, fragrant as the flowers in the trees above her head. Sora was so happy that she was walking the scenery with Negishi, that she forgot that she was in contact with him.

"Negishi…? Um… You can let go of my hand now…"

"O-Oh, sorry… I was just… Happy that your brother thought of us as a couple…" he flicked his eyes away from hers in embarrassment. She laughed louder than usual, "Wh-What…?!" he batted back at her. She wasn't afraid of his little attitude anymore. She knew he was covering up his true feelings.

"You're so cute." She giggled, and he smiled.

"CUTE is not something you tell a guy." He smirked and patted her on the head.

"By the way," she smiled, "Where are we going?"

"Oh, I thought the park would be a nice place to go…"

"Really?!" she asked in anticipation. Negishi must have known. The park was her favorite place! The cats all walking around, black and white, brown, black, white, white and black, brown and black, all sorts of colors graced their furs. There was plenty of nature everywhere for her to sketch.

"You brought it, didn't you? Your sketchbook." He smiled kindly at her. He was right. Sora brought her sketchbook wherever she went, no matter where it was.

"Mm-hm." She nodded.

"I brought mine too." He took it out of his messenger bag. It was an old tattered one, the one he had always drawn his monster sketches in.

"We think alike." She told him softly, and he agreed.

"Let's take the train there. We can grab some lunch to have there on the way."

"All right." She smiled and clasped his hand in hers, "Shall we go?" He looked at her for a moment, dumbstruck. Sora had touched HIM. He was extremely happy.

"Yeah," he gripped onto her hand, "Let's go." And they walked to the train station together.


	2. Chapter 2

"Here we are, two tickets." Negishi took the blue cardstock nubs from the machine.

"Thanks. Here, let me pay you back…" she rummaged through her side-purse.

"It's fine, don't worry. It's on me. What kind of man would I be if I didn't pay for my girlfriend?" he smirked and took her hand.

"Negishi…!" she said, surprised.

"Watch your step." He told her as he lifted her on."

"Do you think I'm that clumsy?" she looked at him.

"Well… A little." He laughed.

"Geez, Negishi-kun!" she laughed while pouting.

"By the way, have you never noticed? I always call you Sora, but you always call me Negishi-kun."

"Oh, come to think of it…" she put her finger to her lip in thought.

"Daichi."

"Eh?"

"You can just call me Daichi, OK? Can I still call you Sora?" She looked at him with beautiful eyes you'd see in a shoujo manga.

"Yeah!" she nodded happily.

"It's kinda weird… Our names are opposites…" he laughed.

"Yeah, my name is Sora, which means "Sky" and yours is Daichi, which means "Earth". Maybe…" she blushed, "It's destiny…?"

"D-Dummy, don't take it that far…! I just… Started to really like you after a while…" he turned his face to the window, away from her view.

"All right." She said quietly, with a hint of sadness. He pat her on the head again.

"But… I'm really glad I met you. And that you agreed to go out with me."

"Yeah," she slightly smiled, "I'm glad too."

When they arrived at the park, they sat on a plastic bench and pulled out their sketchbooks. It was a beautiful summer day, the perfect day to sketch. The bench was located by the fountain, and someone could easily turn around to sketch the gorgeous landscape before them. Sora thought to herself. What should she draw? There was a very cute cat, but she didn't think he was in an amazing position. She looked to Daichi to see what he was drawing, and saw his face truly into his sketch. He looked really cool!

"Oh, you wanna see, Sora?" he pulled up his drawing. It was a tiger, bearing it's fangs. Sora's mouth dropped and she shivered.

"Oh sorry, sorry, you don't like stuff like this." He closed his sketchbook.

"No, no, I was just… Amazed. Amazed how you could make something so strong, brave and bold out of something so small, meek and cute." She smiled, "I like it a lot!" How many times had Daichi blushed since he saw Sora the previous day? A LOT. And that wasn't going to change anytime soon. Once again, his face was as red as an apple. He still wasn't used to the girl he liked being his girlfriend.

"I-I'm gonna go grab some juice! You want some?"

"Sure. Would you mind getting iced tea for me? I'd go with you, but my sketch is almost finished, and…"

"It's no problem. I need to go cool down anyways…"

"Eh?"

"I-It's nothing!" he called and ran to the area with the vending machines. She returned to her sketch, filling in the last details.

"There! Done!"

"Sora." A girl came up to her. It was Asaka, a classmate of her's and Daichi's!

"Asaka-san!" Sora smiled, so happy to see one of her friends.

"Why… Are you goin' out with Negishi?!" she asked, angry. Sora was stunned. Was it… Bad that she was…?

"Kuga-senpai and I… We've been in love with him long before you were!!" she yelled and slapped Sora's hands with the drawing pulled out of her sketchbook. It sharply fell onto the ground, and when she tried to pick it up, Asaka put her foot on top of the drawing Sora had worked so on. But she asked herself… Kuga-senpai was in love with him to…? The one who always knew how to tease Daichi with no facial expression. The one who made Daichi less scary when she entered the classroom.

"You just went out with him because you were happy you were actually asked out, right…?! Try to understand the feelings of the girls who are actually in love with him!!" Asaka was crying. Her eyes were dripping with tears.

"I-I… Like Daichi too…" Sora shivered, not knowing what exactly to say.

"LIKE ISN'T ENOUGH!! WE LOVE HIM!!" she yelled. Sora gasped as if her heart had shattered. Her pretty little daydream of being with Daichi had sunk to the bottom of the ocean, never to be found.

"You're not worthy to be his girlfriend." Asaka sniffled and ran off. Sora felt tears falling down her cheeks as well. Her heart was in so much shock. Did her friends hate her that much for going out with him…? Was she not good enough to be his girlfriend…? Her eyes remained wide open as the salty drops flowed down her face like a river.

"What should I do…? Sora and I are girlfriend and boyfriend, so I should try and feel a little more comfortable…" Daichi sat in front of the vending machine sucking on his juice, trying to clear his thoughts, "It'll work out somehow, right? We're a couple, so…" he blushed again. A COUPLE. He jumped up, ready to walk back "ARGH!! There I go AGAIN!!" he shook his head and walked back to their bench.

"Sora?!" he saw her crying, "What's wrong?!"

Seeing Daichi, she lifted her hands to her face and cried in them. She couldn't tell him the truth.

"The picture fell and got dirty…!" she choked between her sobs. He kneeled down and picked up the sketch. His eyes went wide at what it was…! It was Daichi sketching! He was so happy!

"Sora, thanks for drawing this. I'm really happy. And besides, I always look a little scruffed up, so this dirt makes it look a little more realistic." He laughed and patted her on the head. She opened her eyes and looked at him. When she saw him smiling, she couldn't help laughing along with him.

"There you go." He sat back on the bench. But before he could hug her softly like she always liked, she… Pushed him away.

"Sora…?"

"I… Don't think I like you like you like me."

"What…?"

"I mean, you deserve someone a lot better than me…" He slammed his fist against the bench, and she flinched.

"Whatever." He stood up, "If you think that's what I think, then we should break up." He walked away, and Sora ran away crying.

"If she's not happy with me…" he gritted his teeth, "Then we shouldn't be together…" He was pissed and sad at the same time. He just wanted her to be happy. This confused couple has now reached a hurdle in their relationship.


	3. Chapter 3

Sora ran through the path, ignoring everything in her way and everyone who saw her crying. Until…

"Onee-san! Are you OK?" Sora lifted her eyes to see Negishi's little sister, Minamo.

"Minamo-chan…!" Sora tried to hold in the tears, but ended up hugging the little girl.

"Hey, let's sit down." She rubbed the older girl's back. They sat down on the grass on a hill, "OK, so what's wrong?" Sora didn't respond, "Let me guess. It's about my brother, right?" She nodded, "That dummy! I'll give him a piece of my mind-"

"No!" Sora interupted her, "It's… It's not Daichi's fault…"

"Hm…?"

"I just realized… There are more girls that like Daichi other than me. Kuga-san and Asaka-san… They've been in love with him for a long time. And I… I'm just… A girl who decided to go out with him because I felt like it…! I thought to myself, "I think I don't have anyone I like…"" Sora's eyes squinted with the tears falling out.

"Hm… Well, you just said "I think", right?"

"Huh…? Y-Yes…" she rubbed her eyes.

"Then that solves it." Minamo smiled, "When people say, "I think", it means "maybe". Do you think there were any lingering feelings of love that you just didn't notice?"

"Eh…?" Sora thought to herself. When she was with Negishi-senpai at school, she felt scared at first, but then she got comfortable around him. All the times they spent sketching together during school, hanging out at the art club after school… It all made sense to Sora who those lingering feelings of love were for.

"I…" Sora whispered, "I love Daichi…" she felt her heart beating faster.

"Want me to tell him?" Minamo asked.

"Mm-mm. That's something I should do myself. Could you… Tell him where to meet me?"

"Sure. Where?"

O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O

Daichi walked into his comfy house and into the fancy kitchen. He grabbed the milk carton from the fridge, and started to swish it down.

"Ew, you're drinking out of the box?" Minamo stuck out her tongue.

"Shut up, I'm depressed right now. At least it's not alcohol."

"It's about Sora, right?"

"How would you know?"

"Do you know why she was acting so strange?"

"Huh?" he lifted his head.

"Asaka-san came and scared her away. Remember? Kuga and Asaka are in love with you, so they're probably a bit sore about you going out with Sora… Asaka told her that she didn't love you, and she got scared."

"Damn that Asaka…!" Daichi crushed the now empty milk carton. The cow on the cover now looked like a deformed chicken.

"Sora wants to see you." Minamo told her brother with serious eyes, "Meet her at the school's sakura tree at 10:00 AM… Are you going…?"

"…Yeah." Daichi patted her on the head, "Thanks. I want to see Sora, too."

O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O

"I can't believe I'm back here…" Sora smiled as the wind blew through her hair. She had just graduated two days earlier. She'd go to Takagawa college. Daichi had taken a year of break after graduating the year before Sora, and so they'd be in the same class together. Sora waited for him. She wore a white sleeveless sun dress with a black ribbon around her middle. A white straw hat was on her head, and she held it down on her head to make sure it wouldn't fly away with the breeze. She wore her straw sandles that were bordered with black ribbon as she paced by the tree, waiting for him to come.

"Sorry I'm late." He leaned against the other side of the tree.

"Daichi…"

"You had something to say?"

"Ah… Yeah…" she leaned her shoulder on the opposite side of him. Sora listened through the tree, hoping she could hear his heart beat, "I know… You want to break up, and I will if you want to, but… Please… First listen to me." She received no response, so she continued, "I thought… I didn't have any special feelings for you when you first asked me out. I just was happy that someone did. I was honored." She fumbled with her fingers, "But then, yesterday… Asaka-san made me realize that I was taking you for granted… Kuga-senpai and Asaka-san are both in love with you. I feel inferior to them… Who had realized their feelings before I went out with you. But Daichi, I realized yesterday. All along, I didn't just like you… I LOVED YOU!" Sora cried, and Daichi's heart skipped a beat, "I just… Wanted you to know my feelings for you, that I feel even now, before we break-" but Sora was interupted by a tight hug behind her.

"Silly girl. I've been madly in love with you all along. I'm sorry I hurt you." He turned her face towards his. She had tears falling down her cheeks, "Come on, don't cry…" he whispered in her ear, lifted his lips to her cheek and kissed off the tears, one by one. Sora wasn't afraid. She just looked at him with deep eyes. The couple looked at each other lovingly and passionantely, and closed their eyes. Sora and Daichi at the same time reached their lips for each other, and they made it. They kissed each other so warmly, so kindly, each one of them felt like they would melt.

"I'm not afraid of love anymore." She whispered in his ear, "If it's with you." He smiled and kissed her once again.


	4. Chapter 4

O-O- 4 Years Later –O-O

O-O- 4 Years Later –O-O

"Sora! It's been so long!" Natsumi called to her friend. Sora, a beautiful woman with long, elegant milky blue hair ran over to her best friends, Natusmi and Hazuki.

"Hey, how are you guys doing?" she smiled as she sat down at the little French-styled café.

"We're good." Natsumi cheeped, "Although all the boys we went to college with were plain and dull…"

"Um, Natsumi…" Hazuki poked her friend.

"Oh, right. Hazuki and her boyfriend Yori are in an adult RE-LA-TION-SHIP!" Natsumi giggled.

"N-Natusmi…!!" Hazuki blushed furiously.

"But more importantly, you are too, right?" the perky fireball grinned.

"Well, yeah…" Sora blushed. It seems after four years, she's still blushing a lot. I'll bet Daichi is too…

"So… You two… Have gone all the way, right…?" the akward Hazuki asked.

"Wh-What?! N-No! No!"

"Ehhh?" Natsumi booed, "That's BORING."

"Well… We're taking it slow, you know…"

"But he already proposed to you, right?"

"Mm-hm…" Sora was caught up in her dream world.

"And you accepted, right?" Hazuki put her face closer, interested in the outcome.

"Y…Yeah…"

"Yay! Congrats! Congrats!" the two girls threw confetti in the air.

"Show me the ring!" Natsumi grabbed for Sora's right hand.

"Ooh, it's pretty… A diamond with sapphires surrounding it…" Hazuki blushed in awe.

"Stainless silver band… Yup, this is PERFECT for you. How did Negishi, the guy who's working as a mangaka get so damn successful??"

"Now, now, Natsumi…" Hazuki giggled.

It was true. Daichi had become pretty famous in the year he had been out of college. He was authoring the series "Tiger Heart". It was about a boy who changed into a tiger, beat up the bad guys, and even had a little love on the side. The boy and girl were roughly based off of Sora and Daichi.

"Kuga-senpai has a boyfriend too. Apparrently, he's very sweet, a bit of a bad-boy type, and very handsome." Natsumi dreamed, "Man… I wish I had a boyfriend who saw me and me only…"

"You will, Natsumi. You're very cute." Sora smiled.

"Aw, thanks Sora! You're a real friend!"

"And what am I?" Hazuki lifted an eyebrow.

"Chopped liver…?"

"Geez!" Hazuki pouted and laughed. Sora was happy that she was with her friends again. Now, you might be asking… What was Sora doing? Well, she had just graduated Takagawa university, and was planning to become a children's book illustrator. The couple was both working in the book industry.

"I'm home!" Sora called out in the little apartment.

"Ah, welcome home." Daichi replied. YES. THEY ARE LIVING TOGETHER. After one year in college, they decided to be near each other all the time. They really were in love with each other.

"I'm going to an interview tomorrow for a publishing company."

"That's great." He scratched his head, thinking about something, "Um, have you started looking at things for the wedding?"

"Oh, yes. Natsumi, Hazuki and I did today. Hazuki's sewing my dress herself."

"Who designed it?"

"Me and Natsumi."

"Wow, I didn't know you were into that kind of stuff." He leaned back in his chair away from his drawings.

"Well, I gave a basic drawing of my dress, and Natsumi made it better and practical. She's a clothes designer, you know." She lifted her purse onto the rack.

"Ah, I see."

"Daichi? What's wrong?" she peeped her eyes near him.

"Y-Yeah… I'm fine…" he brushed it off.

"Oh, OK. I'll start making dinner." She was as dense, as usual. He gathered up his courage, walked into the kitchen, and leaned his shoulder against the white seashell wall.

"So… Sora, we've been together a long time, haven't we…?" he asked, not trying to seem suspicious (he fails in my eyes, but…)

"You're right. You're my first boyfriend, and my last." She smiled, "My soon-to-be-husband." She blushed a little.

"Y-Yeah… Um…" Daichi went red, "What… Do you think about having… Chi-"

"Oh!" Sora exclaimed, "I forgot to get the laundry started! Since dinner's almost ready, could you just turn off the fire in two minutes? Thanks!" she ran over to the pile of clothes and ran out the door to go to the apartment's washing machine. Daichi sighed and went to his dresser.

"How to get girls in the mood… Try bringing them into the mood casually ARGH!" he ripped the weird pamphlet into shreds, "Sora fell in love with me for me, and I fell in love with Sora for her. I just… Feel a little… Insecure… I want her to know that I want all of her, and that she owns all of me… I want to be one with her, in heart and body… I mean, most guys do it 'cause they're perverted, and it's not like I don't wanna do it, but… I want her to know my devotion. If we have a child, I'd stay by her and help care for it. I'll always stay by her side…" Daichi had been thinking about these things for a long time. He wanted to not just love her… He wanted to feel her… But Sora was delicate, sensitive. He didn't want to hurt her, no matter what.

"OK, it's going…" Sora turned on the washing machine and raised her finger to her lip, "Go… All the way, huh…? I do want to… I want him to know that I'm his, but… I don't want him to see… I don't want him to see it…" she held her hand a little bit below her chest and squeezed the cloth covering it.

Sora walked back up to the apartment to see her lovely Daichi waiting with dinner ready.

"It smells great." He smiled.

"Thanks." She giggled. Tonight's dinner was curry with jasmine rice, Daichi's favorite. They ate and talked as they usually did, cleaned up afterward, then they went to the bathroom one by one to brush their teeth and take a shower. Sora had already finished and was sitting on her bed. Now, even though they were living together, they slept on different beds. It just seemed odd to sleep together, for some reason…

Daichi washed his body thoroughly. He had to ask her tonight. They were getting married in half a year, but he was still feeling insecure… He slipped on his jeans after drying himself and slipped on his gold pendant that Sora had given him as her first present to him.

_"Huh? What's this?"_

_"Well, it has a cool shape, huh? Like a fang. I thought you'd like it. It's not very clanky, and I just…" Sora fiddled with her fingers._

_"I like it." He smiled and shifted the thin gold chin around his neck. It reached down to about three inches from his neck._

Daichi walked out of the bathroom, shuffling the towel through his hair.

"Daichi, why are you just wearing your jeans? You'll catch a cold if you walk around like that." Sora giggled and was about to grab a shirt for him, but he held her wrist. He pulled her close to him softly and kissed her on the lips. Sora thought it was like always, and she was happy. She was so caught in the moment… Daichi stroked his hand not holding her wrist on her hair, and gently eased her into the bed. Then, Sora realized what was happening.

"D-Daichi…?" she separated from their kiss and whispered, only to be kissed gently again. He released the kiss and placed his lips tenderly down her neck, and nuzzled at her ear. She felt like she would drown in his warmth. But then, he released her wrist and started to remove her white night gown's strap from her shoulder.

"No…!!" she cried and pushed him away. He felt… dejected, "I mean, not now…"

"Why?" he asked bluntly, "I'm sorry, I just… Feel like you could go running off with another guy."

"That wouldn't-!"

"I want you to know that I belong to you." He whispered.

"Daichi…" she was touched, but she couldn't…

"I got it. We won't do it." He put his shirt back on.

"Daichi…!" she pleaded.

"Forget it!" he yelled, and Sora flinched, "Sorry. I'll go sleep in my own room." He walked out. Sora needed to straighten out these things… Why didn't she sleep with him? Well… That's a story… For the next chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

"Sora? What's wrong?" Hazuki asked over the phone.

"I-I couldn't go all the way…"

"What? Sora, why?"

"I-I… Can't say here…"

"All right. How about we go to the pool tomorrow? I'll invite Natsumi and Kuga-senpai."

"All right." Sora sniffled, "Good night."

"Sleep well, OK?"

O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

"Wow, it's really nice out today!" Natsumi stretched out her arms in the sun. She was wearing a pretty purple bikini, and Hazuki was wearing a teal one. Sora on the other hand…

"Eh? Sora, why are you wearing a one-piece? That's for little kids!" the sparky girl pulled at the strap.

"No!" she screamed, and everyone looked at her.

"I-It's OK everybody, nothing to see." Hazuki shook her hands.

"Sora, what's wrong?" Natsumi hugged her friend, "Wait, could it be that that's where Negishi-kun started-"

"Stop!" she cried.

"My my, come on, Sora, cheer up." A familiar quiet, cute voice called. A beautiful woman with long black hair and a black bikini patted Sora on the back.

"K-Kuga-senpai…?"

"Dummy. Don't call me 'senpai'. We're both college graduates now, aren't we?" she smiled, "Oh, by the way, this is my boyfriend, Takaki."

"Yo." He said cooly. He was pretty good looking. Thin, fairly strong, and dark purple hair.

"He doesn't seem like a bad person…" Sora thought to herself.

"I know what you're thinking Sora, but he gets very perverted with me. I have to be on my guard."

"What're you talking about? We've been together since college, first year." He held his bare arms around the middle of her torso, moving up to her breasts. Kuga, as fast as light, pulled out a small mallet and batted him on the head.

"He won't go after us, will he?" Hazuki covered her bikini.

"No. He may be perverted, but only for me. I never have to suspect him of cheating."

"You might say I'm Kuga centric." He smiled and kissed her on the cheek.

"Aw, how nice~" Natusmi held her hands to her face in envy.

"Um, you guys, I hope you don't mind, but I invited-"

"Hazuki." A boy with long white hair called in a ponytail. He was really beautiful. Actually, Sora had never heard anything about his personality…

"This is Yori." She introduced. He came and stood next to her. What? No hug? No kiss?

"You'll see, Sora. He's actually really affectionate. Just shy." Natsumi whispered in her ear.

"Natsumi-chan, let's go in the pool and talk- Ah!" she tripped on some water on the ground.

"Hazu-" Sora started.

"Hazuki!" Yori reached out for her and grabbed her tight.

"Heh heh… Thanks Yori. I'm really clumsy."

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yeah, thanks." She smiled. Sora just stared. HE WAS LIKE A NINJA FOR HAZUKI!

"So…" Sora talked with only the girls at the girl's pool. The boys went off on their own to talk, "He's pretty much like your knight?"

"Yeah. He always makes sure I don't get hurt. I usually get really bruised up from falling, but now…" she showed her legs, "Not one."

"Daichi's a lot like that." Sora smiled sadly. She recalled all the times he had saved her from tripping. Sora was such a spacey person, after all.

"Oh, but does he get extremely jealous?" Natsumi asked.

"Well, he would, but he scares off all the guys with his glares before they can reach me…" she giggled.

"Well, that's not what happens with Yori…" Natsumi laughed, whispering in Sora's ear.

"Eh?"

"Watch this." She sat back up again, "Hazuki!"

"Hm? Yeah?"

"Will you get us some drinks from the main pool?"

"Sure!" Hazuki stood up to get out. She walked as she normally would and went to the bar.

"Ooh, look! Here comes one now!"

"Miss? Would you like to come and hang with me?"

SHING. A sparkle came from Yori's ears.

"Oh my, I couldn't…"

"Come on baby, it's only for a little while…" the guy reached his arm over her shoulders… BUT NEVER REACHED.

"GET THE F**K AWAY FROM MY GIRLFRIEND YOU F**KIN' LOWLIFE!" Yori punched him hard in the face, and the guy scrambled away, "Hazuki, are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry." She hugged him, "Thanks for protecting me." He softened up and held her back in his arms.

"Hazuki wasn't too big on swearing… But when Yori protects her, she's too happy to notice…" Natsumi chuckled, but looked up, "Sora? Ah-!" she saw Sora shivering her brains out.

"Scary…! Scary…!" she sunk into the pool.

"Hey! Sora! Wake up!" Natsumi shook her friend, "Kuga-chan, do something!" Kuga looked up and did it again. She bonked Sora on the head, and Sora floated to the top like a dead goldfish.

Sora had to be placed on a sun chair and lay down. She fell asleep right away after she coughed up all of the excess water.

"Let's talk, you guys." Natsumi sat down near her chair, "So we know that Sora's rejected Negishi-kun's advance. But… Why?"

"As far as I can tell from Sora's behavior when she talks about him, she wants to." Kuga sipped on her drink, care-free.

"What?" Hazuki exclaimed.

"Wait… Kuga-chan, have you… gone all the way?" Natusmi blushed.

"Yeah. A few times." She said as-a-matter-of-factly.

"Eh? How did you know it was time?" Hazuki asked, maybe trying to gain some information for her own love life.

"Well… I knew Takaki really loved me. I wanted him to know that I was his, no matter what. He also felt the same things for me. He may act a bit stupid sometimes, but he can be very cool. I really love him." She smiled warmly.

"Daichi… I'm sorry… I can't show… You…" the girls turned around to see Sora crying while asleep.

"Sora…" Hazuki cooed sadly.

"That's it." Kuga stood up and bonked the sleepy girl on the head, "You need to get over it. Whatever you don't want to show Daichi, show us. We'll be the judges."

"Y-You know?"

"You talk in your sleep." Hazuki said meekly.

"…Fine." She stood and started to walk to the locker rooms, "Come with me. I'll show you the reason."

In the locker room, the girls waited. All of them had slipped on their over-clothes, white short robes. Sora went into the dressing room.

"Just wait a sec," she called over the door, "I'm changing; Just enough so you can see it.

"She came out wearing her black knee-shorts, a white skirt over, and just her bra on her top.

"Sora…! That…!" Natsumi pointed to the massive scar near her chest.

"It's from…" she sighed, trying not to cry, "It's from my father."

"What…?"

"My parents separated because of this. Ao was really young back then, so he doesn't know, but… I don't want Daichi to know about this ugly, ugly scar…!"

"What did he do to you?" Kuga asked.

"One time when he was angry and drunk…"

"Stupid boss… *hic* Thenks he can fire meh eh?" the father took a swig from his beer bottle.

"U-Um… Welcome home papa… How was your day?" the little Sora smiled.

"HOW WAS MY DAY? Godammit, you have it all daisies and roses, DON'T YOU?" he smashed his bottle and slashed at her blindly. Sora screamed, but her mother was asleep. The woman groggily walked down the stairs, and was mortified at what she saw… Sora was one the ground bleeding badly from right below her chest.

"SORA!" the beautiful mother ran to her child and held the girl in her arms. She glared with eyes of hatred towards her husband, "Don't come back until you're sober!" she pushed him out, and rushed to her car.

Sora was brought to the hospital just in time. She lost a bad amount of blood, but she would live. The next day, her father, now sober came to the hospital. He was actually a kind, good-looking guy… When he wasn't drunk.

"Sora…!" he cried when he saw his daughter in the hospital bed connected to IV's. When he looked up, his wife slapped him sharply in the face.

"If you lose a job, you can easily find a new one… Don't drink like that and hurt our children!"

"Mitsuki…"

"Hiro, I can't stay with you right now… I love you so much, but until you become a better person and father, I can't leave my children near you." He started to retort, but stopped himself.

"You're right. I'll learn to be a better father, and then come back." He smiled kindly with tears in his eyes. He just walked away. Mitsuki fell to her feet in sadness, crying. She really did love him. She couldn't put her children in danger, though. So she let him go.

"After that, I had to take multiple therapy classes. They never got anything out of me, though. I just kept faith in my father. I wanted my mother to be happy, and if I believed in my sweet father, then I thought that he would come back. I really love my father, even now. I hope he comes home soon. But… I can't show this to Daichi… It's so ugly… It shows my non-elegant past… What if doesn't want me after he sees it…?" her moping was interrupted by a slap across the face by Kuga.

"Kuga-chan…!" all of the girls called in shock.

"Stupid. Do you think Daichi fell in love with you because of your looks? If he did, I wouldn't have given up on him," she hugged Sora, who was like a little sister to her, "He loves you for you. You love him for him, right?"

"I do." She nodded, separating from their hug.

"Then go get him." She smiled. Sora quickly slipped on her blouse and ran out the exit.

"Thanks you guys! You're the best friends in the entire world!"

O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

"Daichi!" Sora ran through the apartment door and slammed right into him, hugging him tight.

"Sora! What…"

"I'm sorry!" she held on tight. He had a surprised look on his face, but then his eyes softened.

"…I'm sorry too, Sora," he smiled and held his arms around her, "I tried to go further when you didn't want-"

"I do want to!" she cried.

"Eh…?"

"Come with me," she held his hand, "I'll show you why I hid it from you."

The two went into Sora's room. She slipped into her white silk pajamas. They had long pants, and a spaghetti-strap shirt.

"OK, turn around Daichi she took off her top (at which he blushed) and revealed her bra underneath. He had seen her scar now.

"What… Happened…?" he didn't say it grossly. He didn't say it meanly. He stood up and hugged her gently.

Sora told him the story, and he kissed her softly on the lips.

"Dummy… I didn't fall in love with you for your looks. I love you because you're Sora." He placed his eyes close to hers, "You love me for me, right?" Her eyes welled up with tears.

"Yeah," she sniffled, "I love you so much I would die for you." She looked deep into his eyes. He took off his shirt and placed her face near his chest. She felt his warmth go through her cheeks. She heard the beating of his heart beat going fast. Hers was too. Pretty soon, they each felt their bare chests against each other. The blankets enveloped them and they kissed again and again, as if they were confirming their love for each other.

"I'm happy." She smiled, when they were resting in bed.

"Yeah, me too." He kissed her softly on the head and brought her closer to his chest.

"I'm glad…" she whispered in his ear, "That you didn't hate me when I showed you."

"I would never hate you ever." He arched himself over her, and his pendant she gave him dangled down. She grabbed his neck and pulled him down on her, and they kissed again.


	6. Chapter 6

~5 Months Later~

"You WHAT?" Natsumi and Hazuki exclaimed, "YOU'RE 5 MONTHS PREGNANT?"

"Yup." Sora giggled and sipped on her juice along with Kuga.

"Y-You mean you had…?"

"Yeah." She blushed.

"Congrats! Congrats!"

"Why didn't you ever tell us?" Hazuki patted Sora on the shoulder.

"You never asked us." Kuga lifted her lips from her straw.

"Wait…"

"Kuga-chan… You're…?"

"6 months pregnant, yes." She nodded.

"Eh?" Natsumi and Hazuki exclaimed once again.

"Sora, you knew?" Natsumi was astonished at Sora's calm appearance.

"Yeah. We're kind of like the secret Pregnant Mothers Society."

"Original name." Hazuki laughed.

"What are you going to name it?" the fireball friend asked.

"Um…" Sora thought, "Well, something to do with our names."

The girls made an entire list… Skye, Woody, Kumo, Ayame, Hina, Tsubasa…

"But I've already decided." She announced, "Mizuki."

"Mizuki?" they asked, "Having to do with water?"

"Yeah. The sky gives the earth water so that it's healthy, and then the earth returns it to the sky for another cycle. They love each other, in a way. So, because I love Daichi, and Daichi loves me, Mizuki is our child."

"Wow…" Hazuki said in awe, "I never thought of it like that… Well, if it's a girl, anyway…"

"That's cool." Natsumi smiled, "What about you, Kuga-chan?"

"Yami." She replied quickly.

"Ugh…" they all shivered. It was sooo perfect for her child… The word for darkness, "Yami".

"Kidding." She sipped at her juice again, "If it's a girl, we're naming her Shizuka." Shizuka meant quiet.

"It's exactly like you." Sora clapped her hands together.

"And for a boy?" Hazuki asked.

"Yami."

"Oh come on, don't joke, the real name!" Natsumi laughed.

"…? I am telling the truth. The boy's name is Yami."

"Please let it be a girl. Please let it be a girl." The friends chanted in their heads.

"Has Daichi heard about this?"

"Mm-mm. I still need to tell him. I just got checked toady."

"Wow… How's he gonna take it? His series has gotten even more popular!" Natsumi told her.

"Yeah. I'm really proud." Again, "Tiger Heart" had risen to the top of the charts. There was a new plot twist. The girl the main character loved had become pregnant with their child, and the hero was scared of what his child would be like, since he was half animal… This kind of scared Sora, since the main character was based off of Daichi.

"You'll be fine." Kuga smiled and hugged Sora, "He'll understand- no- he'll be thrilled."

"All right." She built up her courage.

At Daichi's work, he was drawing out a new chapter.

"Hey man, your wedding's soon. You'd better have good cake." One of his editors leaned over.

"Yeah, it'll be good, but we're not getting married for the cake, you know, Takeshi."

"So so…" he whispered in his ear, "You've done it right? What's her body like?"

"DON'T YOU DARE GET NEAR MY FIANCEE." Daichi glared at him with great intensity.

"OK, OK…" he whimpered and laughed, "I heard a rumor from one of your fan mails that she looks really ordinary. A bit ugly, a bit plain…"

"Who the hell said that?" an infuriated Daichi was about to suffocate his editor.

"Whoa, whoa, chill man… It was a girl… She was probably jealous… But maybe I should believe her… Maybe she's just an ugly old-"

"Daichi!" Sora ran up the stairs. Today, she was wearing jean crop pants, a black t-shirt with a lime camisole over it, black flip flops, and a flower hair clip only holding back her bangs to the back of her head.

"She's a BEAUTY!" Takeshi was surrounded in sparkles and ran to Sora, extending his arms, but Daichi stopped him dead in his path by punching him in the face.

"Sora, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"I came to see you." She hugged him. Daichi looked cute for a mangaka. He was wearing jeans, a white t-shirt with a slight logo, a light blue open polo shirt, and his black watch on his wrist. But don't forget his wedding band!

"Thanks. I wanted to see you too." He stroked her hair, "But do you need something?"

"Oh, yeah, listen to this;" she smiled mischievously, like she couldn't hold it anymore, "I'm pregnant." She said bluntly.

"What?"

"Pregnant."

"What?" he asked again.

"6-months pregnant!" she giggled.

"PREGNANT?" he burst out, and Sora flinched once again.

"Dude, calm down. She's shivering."

"Ah… Sorry, Sora."

"Are you…" Sora looked up to him with tears in her eyes, "Mad at me…?" she was SO cute.

"S-Sora-CHAN!" Takeshi tried to extend his arms again, but Daichi once again slammed him in the face.

"That's not it Sora, I'm really happy." He hugged her softly.

"Daichi…" she smiled, "Oh, but one thing."

"Huh?"

"If it's a girl, we're naming it Mizuki."

"Um… OK…"

"Yay~" she flew into her own little world.

"You're so cute, you should be a model!" Takeshi smiled, "Here. There's a show coming up for the new Tiger's Heart anime. Daichi wanted to ask you, but you should be my-"

"I want you to be the model for Maya, the girl who I based off of you."

"No… I couldn't… Not if you're there with me…"

"Most of the time, I will. I'm the model for Tora, after all."

"You mean the main character?"

"Yeah. So I'll be with you all the time except for your solo show."

"That's good. Then I accept."

"Woo hoo!" the horny editor cheered.

"You WON'T place a hand on my fiancée, will you?" a scary Daichi surrounded Takeshi with a dark aura.


End file.
